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Frequent news stories and headlines about the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights' (OCR) crackdown on covered entities that have reported data breaches or other privacy rule violations increase the importance of continually assessing compliance with privacy and security rules.
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A good working relationship with the compliance officer will not only avoid squabbles over turf but actually enhance the productivity of both offices, says Timothy E.J. Folk, a producer with The Graham Co., a healthcare consulting company in Philadelphia.
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As the January 2012 deadline for hospitals to convert to HIPAA Version 5010 quickly approaches, a survey conducted by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) has found that medical practices are lagging in the race to meet 5010 deadlines. In fact, 45.2% of practices report that they have not yet started implementation or software upgrades.
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A poor working relationship with the compliance officer can lead to more than just frustration and the occasional argument, cautions George B. Breen, JD, an attorney with the law firm of Epstein Becker Green in New York City. It also could lead to substantial liability for the healthcare provider.
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In spite of increased focus on regulatory compliance, a survey of more than 100 information technology (IT) administrators, managers and executives of healthcare organizations reports ongoing data breaches.
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Doing the right thing doesn't guarantee that everyone is going to be pleased, says Frederick S. Southwick, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and quality projects manager for the senior vice president for health affairs at the University of Florida Shands Health System and the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainseville.
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Physicians who already were skeptical about apologizing to patients might start citing the recent malpractice case against Michael Knapic, DO, as evidence that, rather than diminishing their malpractice risk, an apology could seal their fate in court. That's a misinterpretation of this case, says Doug Wojcieszak, founder of the Sorry Works! Coalition in Glen Carbon, IL, which promotes apologies from healthcare providers.
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A New York City hospital is taking patient identification into the 21st century by using palm scans to avoid identity confusion and improve patient safety.
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A rule from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is causing healthcare providers to reassess what is considered a medical device and what the classification might mean in terms of liability and reporting requirements.
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In the recent opinion from the Ohio Court of Appeals concerning a malpractice case against Michael Knapic, DO, by plaintiff Leroy Davis, the court carefully considered the question of what the Ohio legislature meant to protect with its apology statute.
